What type of agency is The Joint Commission?
The Joint Commission is a United States-based nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c) organization that accredits more than 22,000 US health care organizations and programs.
Are Joint Commission findings public?
Joint Commission Quality Reports give the public information on the safety and quality of care for all Joint Commission accredited/certified health care organizations. Quality Reports are available online through Quality Check® at qualitycheck.org.
Is The Joint Commission a healthcare agency?
As an independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value.
Who is The Joint Commission governed by?
Board of CommissionersThe Joint Commission is governed by a 21-member Board of Commissioners that includes physicians, administrators, nurses, employers, quality experts, a consumer advocate and educators.
What is the difference between CMS and Joint Commission?
CMS has been designated as the organization responsible for certification of hospitals, deeming them certified and meeting established standards. The Joint Commission sets its standards and establishes elements of performance based on the CMS standards.
Why are government regulations and private regulations such as those of TJC necessary in health care?
Health care regulations are developed and implemented not only by all levels of government (federal, state and local) but by private organizations as well. Health care regulations and standards are necessary to ensure compliance and to provide safe health care to every individual who accesses the system.
Is The Joint Commission a lobbyist or advocate?
Lobbying – The Joint Commission may participate in designated lobbying activities including: • Advocacy when consistent with our mission, and to analyze and take positions on issues that impact The Joint Commission's operations, its interests and/or the quality and safety of care; • Providing recommendations through ...
What is The Joint Commission quizlet?
joint commission. non-profit, independent organization that accredits and certifies health care organizations and programs in the US. joint commission is recognized. nationwide as a symbol of quality* that reflects and organization's commitment to meeting certain performance standards.
What is the purpose of The Joint Commission?
The mission of The Joint Commission is to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value.
What are the 4 key principles of The Joint Commission?
You must treat all customers, fellow employees and contracted third parties with respect, honesty, fairness and integrity. Never compromise integrity for a quick solution. The principle of business ethics incorporates The Joint Commission values of integrity and respect as a core elements of our corporate culture.
What are The Joint Commission standards?
Joint Commission standards are the basis of an objective evaluation process that can help health care organizations measure, assess and improve performance. The standards focus on important patient, individual, or resident care and organization functions that are essential to providing safe, high quality care.
What is Jaco in healthcare?
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, or JCAHO, is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that accredits over 20,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the country.
Are Joint Commission reports discoverable?
Unless already known to the complainant, The Joint Commission will not disclose patient name or identifiable information, per the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996.
Are JCAHO scores confidential?
This fear with respect to the Joint Commission has been alleviated in part by judicial holdings and statutory provisions specifically providing that records disclosed to, and of, the Joint Commission will remain confidential.
How do I find out if my Joint Commission is coming?
On your smart phone, go to the Joint Commission website, and click on the “Log In” link. Use your usual log in information. This log in will open the mobile Notification of Scheduled Events, not the entire Joint Commission Connect extranet.
How do you find out if a hospital is Joint Commission accredited?
Check for Facility Accreditation A hospital accredited by The Joint Commission means that the hospital has met The Joint Commission's quality and safety standards. You can check to see if a hospital has been accredited by visiting www.qualitycheck.org and entering your search information.
What is Joint Commission?
The Joint Commission, is a United States-based nonprofit tax-exempt 501 (c) organization that accredits more than 22,000 US health care organizations and programs. The international branch accredits medical services from around the world.
Where is the Joint Commission located?
The Joint Commission is based in the Chicago suburb of Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.
What does accreditation pay?
A facility requesting accreditation pays a substantial fee to the Joint Commission (the "accrediting" agency) and, upon receiving a "passing" grade, is able to purchase associated mementos of accomplishment to display to the public.
What is a JCI surveyor?
The Joint Commission and JCI employ salaried individuals as surveyors who generally work or have worked within health care services but are able to devote half or less of their time for the accrediting organization. The surveyors travel to health care organizations to evaluate their operational practices and facilities against established Joint Commission standards and elements of performance.
How long does a hospital have to be in compliance with the Joint Commission?
The hospital must be in compliance with the standards for at least four months prior to the initial survey. The hospital should also be in compliance with applicable standards during the entire period of accreditation, which means that surveyors will look for a full three years of implementation for several standards-related issues.
Does JCI survey take place in advance?
However, when it comes to the international dimension, surveys undertaken by JCI still take place at a time known in advance by the hospitals being surveyed, often after considerable preparation by those hospitals. Preparing for a Joint Commission survey can be a challenging process for any healthcare provider.
When did the Joint Commission start conducting surveys?
The Joint Commission began conducting unannounced surveys on January 1, 2006. Surveys occur 18 to 39 months after the organization's previous unannounced survey. There has been criticism in the past within the U.S. about how the Joint Commission operates.
Let Others Know You Stand for Quality Care
While there are certainly other accrediting bodies, choosing The Joint Commission means you can lean on our 70 years of experience — from our humble beginnings to the worldwide symbol of quality improvement we’ve grown to be.
Other Benefits of Choosing Us
We set the global standards — We shape best practices and establish the most rigorous standards to raise the bar on performance.
Want to Learn More?
Get a sense of the accreditation process, what it looks like, and how it can benefit you, your patients, and your community.
Guide to Accreditation
Whether you're getting ready for your next survey or implementing processes to maintain compliance, we have the tools you need to succeed.
Go Beyond Accreditation
Earning your accreditation award doesn't have to be the final stop in your journey to operational excellence.
What is Joint Commission?
What is The Joint Commission? The Joint Commission, previously known as The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or JCAHO, is a nonprofit 501 (c) that since 1951 has led the way in accreditation for healthcare organizations in the states and worldwide. Although The Joint Commission’s predecessor was focused on hospital ...
What is joint commission accreditation?
Those who seek accreditation through The Joint Commission will receive practical support and counsel through education on the standards before and during the on-site survey, as well as supplementary tools such as The Leading Practice Library or Targeted Solutions Tools. The latter is comprised of interactive web-based tools that offer a means of performance measurement to organizations that seek them out, along with customizable solutions.
How many organizations has the Joint Commission accredited?
The Joint Commission has over 65 years of experience, has accredited over 22,000 organizations during their tenure, and brings all of that experience to you when you join them on an accreditation journey.
Is the Joint Commission more medically based?
The Joint Commission is more medically-based, while CARF is more active in the healthcare market. They may have differing preferential relationships with third-party funders including states and insurance companies. Accreditation fees vary between the bodies, typically based on the size of the organization seeking accreditation.
What is the Joint Commission?
An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.
What is Joint Commission International?
Joint Commission International, a division of JCR, accredits and certifies international health care organizations.
How does Joint Commission accreditation work?
Every time a nurse double-checks a patient’s identification before administering a medication, every time a surgical team calls a" time out" to verify they agree they’re about to perform the correct procedure, at the correct site, on the correct patient, they live and breathe the accreditation process. Every three months, hospitals submit data to the Joint Commission on how they treat conditions such as heart attack care and pneumonia – data that is available to the public and updated quarterly on qualitycheck.org. Throughout the accreditation cycle, organizations are provided with a self-assessment scoring tool to help monitor their ongoing standards compliance. Joint Commission accreditation is woven into the fabric of a health care organization’s operations.
How often do joint commission surveyors visit health care organizations?
Joint Commission surveyors visit accredited health care organizations a minimum of once every 36 months (two years for laboratories) to evaluate standards compliance. This visit is called a survey. All regular Joint Commission accreditation surveys are unannounced.
When was the Joint Commission founded?
Founded in 1951 , The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value.
How many health care organizations are certified by the Joint Commission?
The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 22,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including hospitals and health care organizations that provide ambulatory and office-based surgery, behavioral health, home health care, laboratory and nursing care center services.
How long does it take for a joint commission to approve a new survey?
The Joint Commission typically renders accreditation decisions two weeks to two months after the survey.
When did the surveyor commission change its inspections?
In 2004 the commission changed its inspections so that surveyors now spend most of their time ? rather than ?
When does accreditation become official?
the accreditation decision becomes official at the same time the summary report is available, and is effective the day after the completion of the survey. It is posted on Quality Check
What is the Joint Commission?
A major objective of the Joint Commission is to continually improve and enhance the quality and safety of healthcare delivery in the United States. Towards this end, the Joint Commission makes a concerted, consistent effort to engage patients in issues associated with improving the quality and safety of healthcare delivery across the country.
How many members are on the Joint Commission?
Since then, it has grown to be the largest accreditation commission in the United States. The Joint Commission consists of a 21-member Board of Commissioners that include health care providers, educators and advocates.
What is the American Osteopathic Association?
The American Osteopathic Association provides accreditation to osteopathic medical schools to further the practice of osteopathic medicine.
How to obtain accreditation?
Organizations that wish to pursue accreditation, may contact the Joint Commission to determine if they are eligible. After obtaining access to the accreditation standards, the organization can compare the standards to their own performance standards to determine if the organization is ready for the accreditation process. The organization can then submit an application to begin the process. The next step is a comprehensive on-site survey of the organization. Once an organization is approved for accreditation, the Joint Commission will assist in publicity to promote the newly achieved accreditation. In order to maintain accreditation, organizations will need to have an on-site survey every three years, except for laboratories which are surveyed every two years.
What is Joint Commission Standards?
Joint Commission standards are designed to help improve quality of care . Using these standards will help an organization manage and reduce the risk of error or low-quality care. The Joint Commission standards are developed by experts in their field and periodically put up for field review.
Why is Joint Commission accreditation important?
While accreditation may seem like a costly and lengthy process, there are many advantages. Joint Commission accreditation shows a commitment to quality patient care and patient safety. This will inspire community confidence in the organization and signal their focus on quality care. This may give the organization an edge in a competitive healthcare marketplace.
Why did the Joint Commission add a board member?
The Joint Commission also added a new board member to address concerns about the disparity in patient outcome based on race in the pandemic. The Joint Commission works to improve healthcare quality in the United States and internationally as well.
Overview
The Joint Commission is a United States-based nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c) organization that accredits more than 22,000 US health care organizations and programs. The international branch accredits medical services from around the world. A majority of US state governments (not healthcare workers) recognize Joint Commission accreditation as a condition of licensure for the receipt of M…
History
The Joint Commission was formerly the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and previous to that the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH).
The Joint Commission was renamed The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals in 1951, but it was not until 1965, when the federal government decided that a hospital meeting Joi…
Operation
All member health care organizations are subject to a three-year accreditation cycle, and laboratories are surveyed every two years. The organization does not make its hospital survey findings public. However, it does provide the organization's accreditation decision, the date that accreditation was awarded, and any standards that were cited for improvement. Organizations deemed to be in compliance with all or most of the applicable standards are awarded the decisi…
Alternatives in the United States
The Joint Commission is not a complete monopoly, and while many states in the U.S. make use of their services, they are not used by all. Some states have set up their own alternative assessment procedures; the Joint Commission is not recognized for state licensure in the states of Oklahoma (except for hospital-based outpatient mental health services), Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. In California, The Joint Commission is part of a joint survey process with state authorities.
Goals and initiatives
The stated mission of The Joint Commission is: "To continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value."
The company updates its accreditation standards, expands patient safety goals on a yearly basis, and posts them on its web site for all interested persons to review making the information and p…
International healthcare accreditation
Joint Commission International, or JCI is one group that provides international health care accreditation services to hospitals around the world and brings income into the U.S.-based parent organization. This not-for-profit tax-exempt private corporation (a 501(c) organization) currently accredits hospitals in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America and is seeking to expand it…
Criticisms
A Harvard-led research study published in the BMJ found that US hospital accreditation by independent organizations was not associated with lower mortality or with reduced readmission rates for common medical conditions. The authors concluded that there was no advantage for patients to choose a hospital accredited by the Joint Commission over a hospital accredited by another independent accrediting organization. The Wall Street Journal suggested that the underl…
See also
• Patient safety
• Patient safety organization
• URAC
• Hospital accreditation
• List of International Healthcare Accreditation Organizations